The Protector's Refuge - A RuroKen post-Kyoto Arc fic
by joyb5321
Summary: Kenshin was surprised that Kaoru could do some Hiten Mitsurugi techniques


Author's notes: Set after the Shishio Makoto-Kyoto coup d'etat. Italicized text are the character's own thoughts

POV: Third person

* * *

The auburn and russet colors of maple trees were about to turn grey as the leaves fall for the onset of winter in the next one and half months. Even the wind already carried with it some slight chill. Kenshin halted from his walk to put on his scarf over his shoulder and around his neck. He heaved a sigh.

This was a different season for Kenshin. For the first time, he felt some warmth inside him. It was as if he was drawn to succumb in the fall and the numbness of the winter's cold and yet he was glad to know that there's always fire in the hearth when he comes home. Home.

_Home it is_. He muttered to himself. He picked up his basket half full of tofu, some beans and soy, which he would cook for dinner. He went on his way back to the Kamiya dojo.

"Alright, Kaoru. I guess this is it for today." Yahiko enthused. "I need to recall some of the moves I have observed and write them down so we can study and practice it."

"You're getting good at it yourself, Yahiko." Kaoru replied. "Tomorrow, after the regular classes, we'll do it again for an hour, alright?" Yahiko replied with a nod.

Kenshin overheard this while he was preparing in the kitchen. Kaoru and Yahiko had been staying longer in the dojo to train. It seems that the two were getting along seriously well as master and student at last. He wondered on Yahiko's last remarks, but decided to put it off.

Quite recently, Kaoru became busy with Yahiko with their increasing number of students and frequency of classes she held. It was a beholding sight for him to see her so focused and determined. Fascination? Admiration, perhaps? Or maybe it was just a feeling of relief that she and the others had already moved on and recovered from the Shishio Makoto ordeal.

"Himura-san, why don't you teach us, too? We heard that you are a skilled swordsman" Asked a young man, followed by the agreeing grunts from the other students. They were on a break from a session and were lounging around the engawa when they saw him coming.

"I welcome the flattery, but I don't intend to pass the techniques I used in battles. But the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu is quite fitting for you learn in this new age. That you should." He convincingly told them.

One brawny student came forward. "I have trained here since Master Koshijiro's time over a year or so prior to his loss in the Seinan War. There's some real good improvements in the style from Assistant Master Kaoru. We are all so excited to learn it." He said enthusiastically while the rest nod in unison.

_Improvements in the style?_ _Perhaps Kaoru-dono had this to attract more students to her dojo_. Kenshin thought it was wise, but he decided to put it off his mind again.

From the time he heard of it, Kenshin had always planned to sit in Kaoru's classes to observe. But no matter how fast he could accomplish his daily tasks there were always some other errands she would ask of him. Like when she asked him to buy Megumi's prescribed ointment from the apothecary in the neighboring town. Kaoru emphasized it might be needed in case some of his old muscle pain would bother him in the coming winter. Often, she would even request him to do some errands for her students if it was something which he could do along his way to the school (where he assisted) or downtown. Kenshin was not complaining but it kept him busy.

_Is Kaoru-dono keeping me off the dojo during classes?_ He could not resist thinking this way. Several times when he passed by the dojo in his free time, Kaoru would call for a break. Thus, giving him no chance to even peek before his next chore was due.

Kenshin came in earlier than the usual afternoon from Sasaki-sensei's school that windy day. He had been assisting the former Shinsengumi-turned-teacher in his lectures. Kenshin was teaching language and reading part-time while Sasaki-sensei taught writing, calligraphy and arithmetic. It seemed to be a good profession. Other than being a swordsman, he considered it greatly since he enjoyed being with children.

He entered the dojo. He was planning to prepare the dinner earlier because the beef would take an hour of continuous boiling for the ramen they would be having for dinner. Beef ramen as requested by Kaoru. He wondered why he has to cook this instead of buying from the Akabeko.

_Perhaps to make me even more occupied, _he thought.

Kenshin passed by the training area. It was nice and quiet. The regular lessons were done for the day. He attempted to take a peek. It was only Kauro practicing by herself. He was tempted to observe what she might be practicing for the day. She was shouting "men!" as she repeatedly strike with the shinai_. It is the usual_, he told himself. He was about to proceed to the kitchen when he noted Kaoru put the shinai down and took a sheathed bokken. She made a stance. A battoujutsu move! Kenshin couldn't take his eyes off as she executed a technique he himself was known for.

"Kaoru-dono, what is that?" Kaoru was startled by Kenshin's presence from behind.

"Kenshin…" She did not expect him to catch her red-handed. Perhaps he completely saw what she just did. She had been practicing secretly with Yahiko. All moves were based on what they saw and learned during Kenshin's many fights. She had been jotting down notes and even asked Yahiko to put down whatever he could remember, exchanging letters with Misao and consulting Sanosuke whenever needed. She was trying to piece together a technique that would combine Hiten Mitsurugi with Kamiya Kasshin. So far, the results were good. Her students were really enthusiastic.

Kenshin approached Kaoru, who seemed to be nailed to the floor where she stood. "You've been keeping something from me, Kaoru-dono." He said rather than asked. "The chores, the errands, you have been keeping me away from the dojo. Don't you?"

Kenshin knew his special ability to read between what was said and what actions actually tell. It was part of being a samurai. But that did not often times work with Kaoru. She could actually mess up this ability even without trying. At that moment, he was quite confused.

Kaoru just nodded. She handed him a bokken. He stared at it. That made him more confused.

"I regret, Kenshin, for keeping this from you." She said. "I know you don't intend to pass on the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu. But the students heard about you and they demand to learn your techniques. Yahiko and I have to study and make it from scratch. I'm teaching the students with a combined technique of my late father's, Hiko-sensei's and some other moves I saw. They are so eager and more students were enrolling in."

Kaoru insisted him to take the bokken. "Let's have a match, Kenshin." He realized he was still holding the soup ladle. Kaoru took it and put it aside. Holding the bokken in front of him, she ushered him again to take it.

This made him admire this young woman even more. He did not know what it was or why. Kaoru was quite tenacious when most of the time they would all just relinquish to her zest. She has a resilient spirit, defeating even Udoh Jin-eh's ultimate shin-no-ippo hypnotism on her. That was a feat only a strong samurai could do. She was strong-willed and yet the crux of her being had been pure and innocent. Perhaps that made him feel bare around her. She made him feel accepted. He was given a chance for a clean slate when nobody else would. He longed for a safe place where he could go as he was, and not be questioned or doubted…Kaoru gave him that home, a refuge. He was happy she did. He told her this when he first bid farewell on his way to Kyoto three months ago. He whole-heartedly meant every word, and held her like a precious gem because he thought he wouldn't be able to come back. But she sought after him. And he was back here, for the very reason why he kept his heart beating. There was no place like home.

"Hey!" Kaoru shouted, bringing him back to the present. "When you look at me like that I would easily lose." She teased. Perhaps he had been gazing at her too much. "Ready?"

"Oro?" Kenshin replied. "I'm…on." He hesitated for a brief moment, mentally noting that he had to be careful because this was not any other challenger. It was Kaoru. He thought it might be helpful to accept it so he would know what she was devising these days. She might endanger herself for what she was doing and he couldn't allow that.

They took a stance_. I will let her take all the offensive_, Kenshin thought.

Kenshin was bewildered on how Kaoru executed a Ryu Tsui Sen-like technique on him with the bokken thrusted forward instead of a slashing motion. She wasn't that fast but she was lighter and she could jump high enough. He was able to counter it, but he didn't charge back when he noticed there was an opening at her right side.

"Am I good?" She asked, grinning. "Don't hesitate, Himura-san!" She called him by his surname, she was playing psychology on him. _Did she just learn that from Megumi-dono? Or from the Oniwaban okashiras?_

Kaoru took the offensive again. She charged from where she landed from the first high-jumped attack. "Whoa, is this Saito's technique?!" Kenshin spun around, sidestepping Kaoru.

"I may have seen it from Saito's gatotsu but I came up with that one." Kaoru replied, huffing a bit. "Be serious, Himura. I'm not kidding you." Kaoru's smug face quite charmed him.

He was beginning to get amused. Kenshin feint a Battousai-look on his face. He didn't know if he was good at pretending.

"Kenshin, even with that look you won't fool this one." Kaoru pressed.

"Oro?" He never thought he was so obvious.

"I know you more than you'd think." She said. "A seriously fighting Kenshin doesn't say "oro". You are charging this time."

_ She was right_, he thought. His eyes could tell it all which only Kaoru seemed to read. Though sometimes Kaoru would doubt herself but it was because he half-shielded himself every time.

Kenshin took his battoujutsu stance. He saw Kaoru grinned. She seemed to anticipate it. Perhaps she was waiting for it to show him a defensive technique.

With a controlled force, Kenshin launched. He was surprised that Kaoru halted his slashing motion with the crossing of her wrists while gripping her bokken.

"This is Hadome technique." Kaoru managed to say while forcing him in a conceding position. Whatever this technique was, it was good because it forced the opponent to get nearer his attacker. Kenshin seemed to be pleased with this compromising pose. His face was so near to Kaoru's he could actually see sweat rolled from her forehead to the side of her chin. He could even hear her outbreath. He could even smell her perfume. Jasmine over-powering the salty-whiff of perspiration.

While this was replaying in Kenshin's mind, he noticed Kaoru took a second step. She moved forward, sliding the backs of her hand along the sides of the bokken. Then she took a strike.

Kenshin broke away.

"That was a wise move, Kaoru-dono." He said huffily. "You won't be using Amakakeru Ryu No Hirameki, would you?" Kenshin exclaimed, concealing the hurt of the strike.

Smirking, she said. "Oh yes, maybe a variation of it. I didn't see you use it, but Sano is a good reference when you two fought Shishio. I will try. Tell me if I'm good enough." She teased.

Kaoru lowered herself, placing the bokken back to its sheath. She did a battoujutsu stance, it was a pre-requisite to his Sou Ryu Sen. It was the technique she was practicing prior to Kenshin's appearance behind her back.

"Sou Ryu Sen!" She shouted, drawing the bokken and made a slashing motion. Kenshin dodged, she anticipated this. She thought of following it up but not with the usual second attack using the scabbard. Instead, she would hit his leg with the bokken's hilt. _This will surprise him,_ she thought.

Kenshin must have been good at mind games, Kaoru thought. He dodged the attack again by jumping and she missed the leg. She stumbled down the floor.

Kenshin looked worried she might have been hurt, but with Kaoru's tenacity, she was able to get up quickly. _She's a fighter, that she is_, he told himself. She stepped back, ran a bit and leaped upward, "Ryu Tsui Sen!"

He knew it was wrong to do this technique if the attacker was not in a higher ground. Perhaps she did not get this quite right. Kaoru would be hurt.

Kenshin raised his bokken in reverse, that was, the hilt on top. He made sure it would hit the hilt of Kaoru's bokken to protect her from hurting herself. The impact surprised Kaoru and it made her loose grip of the bokken while in midair. The hilt to hilt clash electrified her whole right arm to numbness. And she knew she was going to crash. Kaoru shut her eyes tightly, afraid it was going to be a mighty hurting fall. But why was she confident that Kenshin would save her? In her mind, she already felt so embarrassed.

She landed. Safely. In his arms.

"You may open your eyes now." Kenshin said mildly. There were no traces of being pissed off by her carelessness in his voice. She slightly loosened her grip when she realized she was holding tightly around his firm neck and leaning on his chest. She opened her eyes slowly, worried that the voice might not match the facial expression.

"So-sorry." She managed to say, while looking at his face. He was not mad at all.

Kaoru wondered at that instant. Kenshin had been in the dojo for some time already and his face was as familiar as the old flower vase displayed near the entrance of the dojo. And yet she wanted to touch his face, look hard on his perfectly placed facial moles, trace his brows, his scar. The scar that would not seem to lighten over time. She tried to reach, but hesitated.

Kenshin put her down. Kaoru embarrassed at the thought and at the same time disappointed, just stared on the floor in a long passing moment, shaking off her thought. She wouldn't want to be put down just yet. The situation was one of those times she could get as close to him as that.

Kaoru felt surprised by the gesture when Kenshin dotingly poked her forehead and said, "What are you thinking, Kaoru-dono, doing all these exercises?" She remained silently stunned at this rurouni she endeared so much.

"The Meiji government has insisted me to accept a recompense for the assistance I did at the recent coup-d-etat in Kyoto. I'm hoping that you are not trying to equally earn it by exhausting yourself to work." He said.

Kaoru managed to say, "It was a handsome amount from the Meiji government to provide for all of us here in this dojo for the next 3 years. It was yours, Kenshin, but you put it on my behalf. I don't want to impose on you. I need to earn for myself, too. And I…" Kenshin halted her, putting a finger on her lips to stop her from saying anything further more. He steadied her, putting his both hands on her shoulders.

"Kaoru-dono, I know this is not about the remuneration." Kenshin said seriously, his purple irises piercing through her and searching for answers. "This is not the you I came to know."

She managed to gather herself in his hold and decided to tell the truth. "Alright...The truth is not about the dojo why I'm doing this. It isn't about the recompense either."

Kaoru heaved a sigh. She felt Kenshin was reading her like a book. Kaoru only wanted one thing. The hitokiri would be gone as long as the sakabatou was his to wield. The rurouni needed to wander no more. And if necessity would require it of him, she would make sure this beloved man would not let the honor of his vow dwindle_._

"How many are the likes of Shishio out there, Kenshin?" She straightened up and looked into his eyes, "I…I will make sure that I will be alongside you in your battles. I will see it through to everything. I…I will be stronger for you."

Finding no words to say, Kenshin's hold slid from her shoulders, down to her back and embraced her. Kaoru remembered the last time he held her like this. That time, she was stunned, engulfed in sorrow and confused. This time she was aware of his warmth, his firm hold. Without hesitation, she hugged him back her fingers entangled with his long auburn hair.

Unspoken words in their minds.

_How can you accept me just as I am and be willing to fight the battles against the enemies that my former self had created? I protect others, and yet you want to protect me. You don't have to hurt or be hurt because of me. I will ensure to take care of my safe haven…you. _

Kenshin felt her embrace, too. He held her even closer.

_ Do you realize now how important you are to me, my dear rurouni?_

They remained in embrace for a long moment. Both wished they could just be like that longer. Like forever.

"Ahem!" Boomed a voice from the side near the pass through the kitchen. "Our dinner might turn out over-cooked, I believe." Hiko Seijuro was standing there with Yahiko, Sanosuke and Megumi.

"Where is the ladle, Yahiko-kun?" Tsubame shouted from the kitchen.

"The beef needs some stirring or the ramen dish will perish." Tae followed.

"Eh? Everybody is here." Kaoru said, loosening her embrace, face flushed. She was amused to see Kenshin blushed. She was sure he did.

"Oro?" Kenshin was surprised and felt a flush of hot air blew his way. He was still holding Kaoru. "Er, Kaoru-dono, I think your techniques are really getting good. Your strike wasn't bad." He said, stammering before the presence of his master, Hiko-sensei.

Kenshin and Kaoru broke away from their hold. Kenshin scratched his head, looking at Hiko-sensei first and then the rest.

"Of course, the techniques are good." Hiko-sensei said smugly. "The feisty young lady here and I have been exchanging letters."

"Oro?" muttered Kenshin.

"And you, my foolish pupil, you're nothing but obvious." Before Kenshin could react, Hiko said, "Don't speak anymore just make a better excuse next time."

"So perhaps embracing is a technique?" Sano teased. "I can learn that, too. I will be better than this Kamiya Kasshin student brat." For that, Sano received a double side thud from Yahiko and Megumi.

"Oh well, I just wished they could kiss already." Yahiko said blatantly. Megumi gave him a thump from the back and Yahiko stumbled forward. Everyone laughed.

They had a great dinner and they laughed even more.

That night, Kenshin was certain in his heart, the one person most important to him. He was sure he wouldn't deny himself of the same affection she has for him.


End file.
